The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-01-04
JEST TO EARNEST.
A so-cALLED WRESTLING MATCH
Witch was said to be n Hlppodro,ne, hut
wall worth secipg alto sams-Niarc
CrIstors Agility mud Messengers p
Muscle Fitted against Each Other. g

The Glnco.Ronan wrestling match an.
nounced 10 take place st tho Grand Con.
trail Theatre last night attracted a very
lair audience, both in s'ss and makeup.
Prof. Mare Crystol, the Ffencbman who
claims to be lightweight champion Of the
world, und James Messenger, n cannon
ball performer audama.eur wras.ler, were
10 wrestle Eve falls, bes. three to take tho
stakes and Us percent Of the gate money,
The regular performance OF the theatre
cane first. Then the two men were In.
troduced, applsuded, and referee was
called for. There were cries Of "Kingl
Jack King!" aud the tall slugser advanced
10 tho stage amid loud cheers. For tinao.
keepsr Patsy Gavin was selected In the
same way.
Both men are Emo specimens Of physical
manhood, aud Crystols agility and 1.-THE
meas was remarkable. For man who has
exhibited such heIculean strength a.
Messenger, his frame 10 strikingly small!
and neat aud there ia no. q spare ounca OF
flesh On him, the muscles being beauti.
fIIly developed. 5stia' i'i
Crystol won the frat fall in 800 Mes.
aenyar denied that 1t WAS q fall, bu. every.
body supposed 1t was arranged before
hand how It WAS to 60, and the kicking
was part OF the show. In tho second boat
Crystol lay down over Messengers back
while tho latter was on his knees, and Was
whitfield ovar neatly time minutes. Tho
fall was 80 apparently designed on both
sides as to raise derisive laugh. .5
In tho third Crys!ol came out with
leather pumps on, b1t Messenger protest.
Ing, he took them Of, though maintaining
that the rules allowed "eott shoes or
socks" This bout was really pretty, and
full OF science and skill. Twice Messenger
hsd the Frenchman nearly down, but
onca he caught on the back Of his head
and twisted over in a way that would have
delighted the hesst Of the most wlllowy
OF contortionists. Again Messenger missed
hlm from his feet and turning him back
down hurled him toward the door, but
when he sli1hied 1t Tas on his kaees and
breast, having twisted like cat while
falling. This feat aroused the crowd to
enthusiasm. Finally Messenger got bis
arm around Crystols neck and threw him
backward, getting tquare fall. The Tins
vas 2:i5.
In tho fourth round, after some very
pretty work, Crys.ol got Messenger to his
knees, and then caught his arm in such q
way that i. mutt have broken bad not
Messenger turusd over. He kicked Wig.
o:ously on this, but Cryssol was awarded
the fall. A good deal Of talk resulted, aud
King had to asser. bis authority to prevent
more racket after there bad been too much.
Crystol said Messenger was "ss bad a
kicker a. the Jap" aud tina. hc might she
ssuccess on the act, but yon can't wtestlc."
It struck the audience that both were
fpretty good actors. II Crys.el's hold on
the fourth iali.Tas according 10 the rules.
the rules might as well give one contestant
an ex and the other no weapon. &.
Crystol got the fifth fall rather c,sily,
Messenger claiming that his arm had been
srrained in the former bout. Thsre WAS
just enough science in the contest 10 show
that the men could make pretty match
if they wanted to. \ {